Missteps
by Chinese Bakery
Summary: While Bella struggles with her vampiric nature, Edward discovers that like Emmett, he has more than one singer.


**Title: **Missteps**  
Author:** chinesebakery**  
Disclaimer:** "Twilight" and all related characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.**  
Rating:** PG-13**  
Word Count:** ± 5,400**  
Summary:** While Bella struggles with her vampiric nature, Edward discovers that like Emmett, he has more than one singer.  
**Warnings:** Not BD compliant. Rather dark. Some violence. Fleeting mentions of sex.  
**Author's Notes:** Thanks to Mary and Rebecca for the much needed beta.

* * *

"Don't you ever miss my human smell?"

"No," I lied. "I never really think about it. Why do you ask?"

"I just wonder. I get jealous, sometimes."

"Jealous? Jealous of who?"

"Everyone," Bella smiled sadly. "Humans. You know."

_**Four months earlier  
**_

"No. No, no, no, no, no. I can't do it."

"Yes you can, love. It's all instinct. Trust yourself. Trust your body, it knows what to do."

"It looks so innocent. There's no way I'm gonna – what, rip it open? No. No way," Bella shook her head, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the deer rummaging in the clearing. Her body was shuddering with thirst and need, but she seemed rooted on her spot, her disgust greater than her hunger. From where we stood, I could smell the animal's blood as strongly as if my head was resting on its flank.

"You make for one lousy predator," I chuckled half-heartedly. "Would you rather have a wild boar as your first meal?"

"Sure. Whatever. But I'm not butchering Bambi."

Fifteen minutes later, I watched her awkwardly tear at a hog's flesh and press her mouth to the wound, blood dripping down her chin. The hog was screaming, its legs moving frantically in the air in a futile attempt to escape, but Bella held it down easily. I could see the movement of her throat as she swallowed the mixture of blood and venom. Her hands were clinging to the beast's fur so hard they were piercing through the skin, her fingers sliding into the warm flesh as smoothly and effortlessly as they would slip into liquid.

I'd been looking forward to this, hunting with her, letting our true nature take hold. I'd seen my siblings feed so many times I couldn't have expected being shaken by something as simple and natural as this, but as I watched her new animalistic instincts being exerted, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had damaged something perfect beyond repair. For the first time since I'd held her feverish body as it thrashed and writhed in agony, I found myself longing for those nights I spent watching her sleep, oblivious and peaceful. They seemed to belong to a different lifetime now.

It would take time for the both of us to adjust. Nothing to worry about. That's what I'd told myself then.

When Bella was done, she knelt by the bloodied carcass, her eyes wide with shock as she registered what she'd just done. I could sympathize with her confusion, having felt the same in my early years, when I couldn't yet reconcile my actions with the person I'd always thought I was.

"Bella? Are you alright?"

She nodded absently as she got to her feet, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. It was useless, as her sweater was already soaked with blood.

"I need to get cleaned up and change. I'm disgusting," she murmured.

"You did great," I said, bending to kiss her forehead. She gave me a hesitant smile but didn't grab my extended hand.

She kept quiet all the way home.

--

The first two weeks of our marriage, before Bella's change, were the happiest days of my life. I couldn't wish for anything more. I would have given anything to avoid what had to come. Bella, of course, would have none of that.

From the moment she regained consciousness after days of agony, Bella demonstrated remarkable self-control. Perhaps it was her reluctance to hunt, which she found sickening, that allowed her to reign over herself so well. Or maybe it was a special ability, although it was still too early to tell. Either way, it all worked out in my favor.

By the end of the summer, our family had relocated to New Hampshire, in a vast house that gave us the privacy we required, but close enough to Hanover to allow my siblings and the two of us to attend college. Bella had been reluctant at first, but she'd given me her word that she would try, just after our honeymoon – I think it was Alice's excitement, more than anything, that finally made her cave. Everything was perfect, or so I thought. In retrospect, I could see I'd been in denial all along.

Three days before the beginning of first term, Bella backed down.

"It's insane. More than that, it's irresponsible. I'm not in control, not nearly enough to be trusted around people."

"We had a deal, Bella. You promised."

"That was before! You can't hold me to a promise I made when I was someone else."

Her words stung more than they should have. I truthfully couldn't see any drastic change in her personality, although she did seem a little more contemplative. But her thoughts remained unreadable to me, much to my chagrin.

"You're still the same," I protested.

"Please, be reasonable. I've got all the time in the world, there's no reason to rush through this. Dartmouth will still be there next year, and the one after that. It's not like I need a college degree –"

"Yes, you do."

"I don't need it _now_. What I need is to feel like myself again. What I need is to be able to stand in a crowd without imagining myself slaughtering everyone. How could I go to college when I can't have a two sentences conversation with someone without considering them as a possible meal? I can't go to Dartmouth. I can't go anywhere. Not when the cravings are so –"

"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked, and looked away the moment the words were uttered out loud. I wasn't sure I could handle a truthful answer to that question.

"Don't be silly," she smiled unconvincingly. "I've got what I always wanted."

"I hope you don't mean the Mercedes."

This time, her grin was genuine. I sighed in defeat. "Okay then. We'll stay home. Until you feel ready."

"No. Absolutely not. I know you've been looking forward to it."

"I've only been looking forward to going_ with you_."

"Don't guilt me," she pouted. "Besides, I could do with some alone time. Just to figure things out."

"Alright. But the moment you feel more comfortable –"

"You're enrolling me. Believe me, _I know_."

--

"Are you sure you're not getting bored, staying here by yourself?" I asked before leaving for class, as I did almost everyday since the beginning of term.

"I manage," she smiled and pressed my hand in hers, nodding to the piles of books littering the floor.

"It can't be healthy for you to spend so much time locked in your room."

"I'm _fine_, Edward. I promise if I ever get bored or hungry, I'll go and bother Esme."

I winced at her words. Feeding had become a very touchy subject. Each time we went on a hunting trip, Bella found new excuses to stay behind. She lived on the game I brought home for her and sometimes, human blood Carlisle stole from the hospital.

"I'm worried about you, love. We all are."

"Well, you all shouldn't," she said, kissing my temple. "And you're gonna be late."

I was sitting in the cafeteria with Jasper and Alice, staring idly at my untouched meal, when I first caught Anna's scent. At the time, of course, it was only my unidentified second singer's scent. It grabbed at my throat, washed over me like a poisonous cloud.

She didn't smell like Bella, not at all. Her scent was earthier, less delicate, a little plain, even, but it was just as torturous. I grabbed the edge of my chair to still myself and the wood instantly gave way with a loud crunching sound.

_'What are you doing? Be careful,' _Jasper thought intently, and a wave of satiety and tranquility took hold of me.

"Don't do that," I murmured between gritted teeth. I felt confused enough without my emotions being short-circuited. The peaceful fog dissipated, leaving me with the irresistible compulsion. It felt like traveling back in time. I was drawn to that blood – that person – like a moth to a flame, just like I had been to Bella two years before.

_Bella. _How was that for tragic irony?

My wife was sitting home waiting for me and here I was, letting someone else's scent mesmerize me like hers once had. I needed to know who it belonged to as if my life depended on it. The cafeteria was too crowded to isolate the fragrance without getting closer and as much as Emmett would love to hear the story of how I roamed around the campus sniffing astounded students, I wasn't in the mood to entertain a crowd. Before I did anything inconsiderate and embarrassed my siblings further, I had the presence of mind to hold my breath, close my eyes, and concentrate on my wavering self-control.

_'What's the matter? Too crowded?'_

I nodded toward Alice without meeting her eyes and rose to my feet. If I had looked at her then, I'd probably catch a glimpse of informed dread on her small features.

I should have opened up to them. Jasper, of all people, knew what it was to fight temptation and blood lust, and Alice... Well, Alice's bizarre take on things had proven useful on occasion. Instead, I did what I always did. I shut them out and ran away to brood in peace.

"I need some fresh air. No," I said, pushing Jasper down when he got up to follow me, "I'd rather be alone for a while."

I didn't allow myself to breathe until I started the engine.

That night, I brought home enough game for Bella to have a real feast, and tried not to think about cheating husbands flooding their unsuspecting wives with flowers and fine food.

--

I tried to forget. I tried to be strong. I tried my best, which clearly wasn't enough. The more I wished it out of my head, the more it obsessed me. That scent. That blood. Almost at arms-length. I caught it in the air sometimes in a hallway, in a lecture hall or in a deserted parking lot and all I could do was hold my breath and wait for the worst to pass.

Even from a distance, it was eating me, messing with my brain every minute of every day.

"What the hell are you doing Edward?" Alice asked one night as I was about to leave for a late-time hunting trip to calm my nerves. It was my escapism of choice.

"I'm not doing anything."

"Like hell, you aren't. You're distant. Avoidant. Bella's locking herself in, and you're always gone somewhere doing God knows what. I swear you two are the most dysfunctional couple I've ever known."

"Thanks a lot, Alice. Although in that department, there's a lot to be said about psychic pixies and their homicidal confederate husbands."

"Don't you dare snap at me. Can't you see I'm trying to help?"

"Who says I need your help?"

_'Don't go out tonight. Please,'_ she thought for my benefit so Bella wouldn't overhear. _'Stay home with her. Read her a bedtime story. Have sex, lots of it, God knows you two need it. Brood in silence all night if you like but please, _please_, don't leave.'_

I slammed the driver's door harder than necessary and left without a word.

That night, I drove aimlessly for hours, pushing the engine as far as it would go, letting the speed soothe me. I thought of Bella, cuddled in bed, waiting for me, and how I couldn't find the words to reach her anymore. She'd told me once she didn't feel like she belonged anywhere and I'd brushed it off as a silly notion, but I was starting to see how true that statement was.

Everything had been so much easier before her change. It was supposed to fix everything. It was supposed to make us stronger, closer, _permanent_. Instead, it was driving us apart day after day.

Engrossed in my thoughts, I almost missed the car parked on the side of the road and the woman gesturing wildly for me to notice her. The tires screeched as I made an abrupt stop and when I rolled down the passenger's window, I understood what Alice had meant about staying home that night, of all nights.

That scent, unmistakable.

"Hi. I'm sorry for surprising you, but my tire's flat. I've got a spare one, but I don't have a clue what to do. God, this is so embarrassing," she chuckled nervously and shivered wrapping her arms around herself.

She wasn't beautiful, not in the classical sense of the term, but she wasn't unattractive. Pale skin, black hair, brown eyes staring at me, hopeful and wary. She looked tired, freezing. For a moment, a short, fleeting moment, I considered taking her. Draining her dry and abandoning her on the side of the road like roadkill. At least, it would be a problem solved.

I tried to hold my breath as I got out of the car, but the fragrance was too hypnotizing to ignore. In that moment, I would have given anything for her to let me press my mouth to her throat.

"Hi. I'm Edward. Take that, you look like you're about to catch death," I said, and took out my jacket.

"Anna. And thanks," she beamed, putting it on her shoulders. It was gonna smell like her for days.

--

"Thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without you," Anna smiled as she handed me my jacket back and sat in the driver's seat. I could hear her trying to phrase her next sentence in her head. She thought I was odd, and attractive. Oddly attractive, maybe. She was intrigued, I supposed. In the end, she settled for a noncommittal parting phrase, for which I was grateful.

"It was nice meeting you, Edward. I hope I'll see you around campus."

"Me too," I said, not knowing if I was lying or not.

The moment her car drove out of sight, I inhaled the fabric. It was soaked in her sweet, addictive scent. I wanted to let myself immerse in it. Swim in it. Drown in it.

Before I started the engine, I dropped the jacket in the ditch. I couldn't possibly come home covered with another woman's perfume. No one likes a worn out cliché.

When I came home that night, Alice was sitting on the front porch, waiting for me. As I parked in the alley, she came to meet me, looking dejected and somber. I'd never gotten used to seeing Alice defeated, it wasn't in her nature. My first impulse was to comfort her, but she charged at me head on.

"I wish you hadn't gone out tonight," she barked, glaring at me in anger.

"It doesn't change anything. It doesn't have to." I added when Alice huffed and shook her head in disbelief.

"Right. You're going to, what, pretend she's doesn't exist? That worked really well the first time around."

"Keep your voice down," I demanded, and she huffed again, waving her hands as if I had just proven her point.

_'Guilty conscience, much?'_

"It's not the same," I whispered, my tone more defensive than I would have liked. "_Nothing_ is going to happen. It doesn't have anything to do with Bella."

_'It has everything to do with Bella. She's confused. She's shutting everyone out. If she finds out you're drooling over a human girl, now of all times –'_

"I'm not –" I interrupted myself when I realized my voice was loud enough to carry up the stairs, and took a deep, calming breath. "I'm not _drooling_ over anyone. She's just a girl. Her blood smells nice. We've met once, and we've gone our separate ways. End of the story."

_'Bella's my friend, too, you know? She's my _sister_. I'm not gonna lie to her to cover your ass.'_

"Did you tell her anything?" I asked, as a feeling of dread started building in my stomach.

_'No. But I will, the second you misstep.'_

"That's settled then. Because there won't be any misstep."

I heard Alice snicker humorlessly as she walked passed the door. Before I followed her in, I made sure I couldn't perceive the smell of human blood on me. I knew it was only in my head, but I would have sworn Anna's scent was everywhere.

I was weak, weaker than I ever realized. In the following weeks, I started memorizing Anna's routine. Collecting every piece of information I could gather about her. Her class schedule, her room number, her friends, the place where she picked up her coffee. It felt like my free will was being ripped out of me. Just watching from afar. Building my own personal hell.

It didn't help that Alice and I were at each other's throat, or that Bella was getting lost into herself a little more every day.

--

Christmas break was coming and for me, it was the light at the end of a really long, dark tunnel. I was desperate to escape what I knew to be a self-destructive streak, but I had a feeling Bella wouldn't let me. I had started blaming her for leading me astray, while knowing it was both wrong and terribly cowardly of me.

"What do you want do for the holidays?" I asked her one evening, certain she would deny me any respite.

"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. Trick you into not buying me anything ridiculously expensive, I suppose?"

"That's not what I meant. You've been locked in this house since we moved in, Bella. I think we should have a trip. We could go anywhere you want."

"Edward –"

"You need to get out sometime, love."

"I'm getting tired of having this conversation over and over again," she sighed, turning away from me.

"Well, I'm sorry, but we're going to have it for as long as it takes."

"How long did it take you to feel completely in control? How long did it take Alice? Jasper? It's barely been four months, Edward. I'm not ready. Why won't you give me some time?"

"You can have as much time as you want, it doesn't mean we have to lock ourselves in here. We could have a real break, just you and me. We haven't been anywhere together since our honeymoon."

"And go where? I can't visit my parents. I can't go anywhere near humans."

"You _can_. You just won't."

"I'd rather stay home with my books and my things. We could do something really Christmas-y, if you like. A pretty tree, fire in the chimney, the whole thing. I'll even go hunting with you if you want me to."

"You'd go hunting? Really?"

"If it makes you happy."

Those words deflated any fighting spirit I had left in me. I looked at her, and it was like seeing her for the first time in months. I saw her sadness, her loneliness, her fear of losing me, when I felt like I had already lost her. I reached for Bella, held her in my arms, and considered telling her everything. What I'd been hiding. How lost I felt. What a treacherous coward I'd become.

Instead, I held her tighter, and kissed the spot below her ear where I used to feel her heart beat so acutely.

"Edward? There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Anything, love."

"Don't you ever miss my human smell?"

"No," I lied. "I never really think about it. Why do you ask?"

"I just wonder. I get jealous, sometimes."

"Jealous? Jealous of who?"

"Everyone," Bella smiled sadly. "Humans. You know."

"Don't be silly. You're perfect to me."

"Not like I used to be."

"Your human scent made you the most appealing snack I'd ever seen. It's not what made me fall in love with you."

"I think," she said with mock seriousness as she reached for my belt, "that your pants are on fire."

"My, my, are we in a playful mood, all of a sudden."

"Not really," she said, "but I'm sure you can do something about it."

As we made love that night, I tried my hardest not to think about Anna. The warmth of her skin. The maze of blood vessels underneath. The very fact that I had to chase her away from my thoughts was a failure in itself, I knew. It wasn't fair to either of us.

--

Mere days later, I was sitting alone in the crammed cafeteria when Anna appeared, seemingly from nowhere. She wasn't supposed to be here – by now, I knew every detail of her schedule by heart, and I was positive that her psych class didn't end until 12:30.

We hadn't talked since that night on the road. I had been very cautious to be nothing to her but a blurry face among thousands. Apparently, not cautious enough.

"Edward?"

"Anna." I tensed instantly at the sound of her voice, my mind already reeling for a way out.

"Do you mind if I seat here?" she asked, and sat opposite me before I could reply.

"Not at all," I heard myself say when what I really meant was '_Please, go away. Please.'_

"I've got to say, you're an elusive one. Every time I catch a glimpse of you somewhere, you're gone before I can reach you. I was starting to wonder if you could teleport. Or if, you know – you were really intent on avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you," I offered, and I could hear the relief in her head.

"You sure about that?"

"I can't confirm or deny the teleportation, though."

"Just don't zap yourself away just yet, alright?" she asked, and when she smiled, her eyes shone. How could I have grown to crave a perfect stranger's company in such a short time? It made no sense. Yet I couldn't bring myself to run away like I knew I should.

"Anyway, we're having a Christmas a party at my dorm tonight. I'd really love to see you there."

"A party?" I repeated stupidly, and Anna laughed at my obvious disbelief.

"You know what a party is, don't you?"

"Well, thanks for the invite, but I don't think... I've got a lot of work to finish before the holidays. It wouldn't be reasonable."

"Come on, Edward. We're in college. We're supposed to have a little fun, I'm pretty sure it's part of the package. Here," she said, pushing a piece of paper in my hand. "I'll be waiting for you."

"I'll see what I can do," I muttered, glancing at the paper. Her handwriting was small and untidy, just like I had imagined it.

"Your hand," she frowned. "It's so cold. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I said, getting ready to escape. "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight. Maybe."

For the rest of the day, my reason and my will kept fighting a lost battle against my body. I couldn't justify to myself the ridiculous excitement I felt at the prospect of seeing her. My experience with Bella gave me a foolish assurance. I was certain that I could handle the situation, stop it from going too far.

What I hadn't expected was to find Alice blocking my way out of home.

_'You are not going out of this house tonight. I won't let you,' _her furious voice rang in my mind.

"I beg you pardon?"

_'You heard me.'_

"And who are you, my legal guardian?"

_'If you ever step out of this room... EDWARD! COME BACK HERE! YOU STUPID –'_

In all my years as a teenage vampire stuck in an always changing world, I had never felt so blatantly out of place as I did at a university dorm party, finding my way through a crowd of inebriated young humans. To my surprise, none of them seemed to take particular notice of me and my unusual appearance.

I wanted nothing more than to turn away and run the hell out, and yet I kept walking towards her. Anna caught sight of me and waved, beaming. Even from a distance, I could tell she was slightly intoxicated. Her blood was tainted with alcohol, but not enough to dispel my need.

"Edward! You came! I'm so glad," Anna exclaimed, throwing her arms around my shoulders, oblivious to my stiffening at the contact of her heated skin. Her hand burned the nape of my neck.

"Apparently," I shrugged, taking a step back. The closeness was barely bearable to me. I had to swallow away the taste of venom, thick and sugary, before adding, "I'm still not convinced it's such a good idea."

"Here, have a beer," she offered, putting a bottle in my hand.

She was staring at me, grinning. I took a gulp to humor her and winced. It tasted like liquid ashes, but at least it distracted me from the taste of poison. I did my best to return her smile.

"Your skin's still cold. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Positive. I've been walking in the chill," I replied, and took another sip of ashes to reassure her on my well-being. It was the foulest thing I'd ever tasted.

"I was afraid you wouldn't show. I've had such a hard time finding you in the first place."

"Maybe I didn't want to be found," I said, but she didn't seem to hear.

We stood facing each other for a few moments, unsure what to say, and I could hear both my awkwardness and my attraction being reflected in her thoughts.

"I love this song!" Anna said suddenly, grabbing my hand. "Do you want to dance?"

"I'm not sure –" But she had already hooked her arms around my neck.

As we danced, she wiggled closer until she rested her head on my shoulder, her forehead pressed to my neck. The song ended and another started playing, then another, and we just kept dancing. Her throat offered, inviting me.

"Ever since we met, I've been thinking about you," she murmured, her breathe tickling my skin.

I could have lured her in a deserted hallway, put a hand on her mouth to silence her and plant my fangs in the soft skin of her throat until there wasn't a drop of blood left in her body. Or kiss her senseless, beg her to let me make love to her on her dorm bed, and lick her pulse points until I lost my mind. I wasn't sure which scenario was more compelling.

"I have to go," I whispered to her hear before disentangling myself from her.

"What, now? The party's barely starting," she frowned, and her mind was full of confusion and hurt.

"I can't. I can't stay. I'm married," I finally admitted, shaking my head at the mess I'd made.

"You're _what_?"

"I'm married. I have a wife. I can't –I can't be here."

"How can you be married? You're a freshman. If that's your way of letting me down easy, it's really low."

"I'm wise beyond my years. Or maybe not," I muttered between gritted teeth, and tried to find my way out of the crowd.

"Why did you come tonight, Edward?" Anna called after me, but I was already at the door. A moment later, I was running out of the building and locking myself in the safety of my car.

"I've been asking myself the same question," I muttered to myself.

When I came home, I found Rosalie reading in an armchair by the chimney, waiting for me. She glared my way as I walked past her, her expression disdainful and venomous.

"She's on to you, you know," Rose murmured, sticking her nose back in her book.

"What are you talking about?"

"You think you're so stealthy, with your sordid little affair. But Bella's not stupid."

"I suggest you mind your own business, Rosalie."

"Bella's gone, you know."

"Bella's what?"

"Did I stutter? Read my mind, then," she said, her voice dripping acid._ 'Bella's gone. They're all out, looking for her. I was designated home sentinel. Thanks for that.'_

"Where is she?" I asked as alarm and dread took hold of me. "What has she done?"

"I'm not sure. But my money's on crashing that secret party of yours. Can't say I'd blame her."

I was running back to the car before she'd finished her sentence.

Anna had left the party, although none of her friends had seen her go, and no one could tell me where she was. Her room was empty. Her car hadn't moved from the parking lot. I described Bella to half the males at the party, but none of them seemed to remember an abnormally pale, beautiful brunette causing a commotion. But sure enough, they all remembered me fighting with Anna.

I frantically dialed Alice's number over and over, but she wouldn't pick up.

My only hope was to isolate Anna's scent to follow her tracks, but it wasn't an easy task in such a crowded environment. I was about to walk back to the spot I'd last seen her when my phone finally rung.

"Bella's home," Esme said on the other end, her voice unreadable.

"Well, is she alright?"

"She's... You'd better come home, Edward." With that, she cut the line.

--

They were standing outside the house, all of them but Bella. I caught random thoughts in flashes, all violent, all bloody.

The smell grabbed at my throat the moment I stepped inside, too dense, too tangible. It washed through me in a split second, rushing through my brain, and I had to contract every muscle in my body to reign over myself. I had never smelled something like this, nothing that strong. It was everywhere.

"Bella?" I called as panic settled, but she didn't answer.

I ran up the stairs and pushed our bedroom door open. In a ridiculous reflex gesture, my hand flew to my face to cover my mouth and nose. It was as thick as if the room had been painted with fresh blood. The venom was dripping inside my mouth relentlessly and I swallowed, the sweet poison tasting like bile at the back of my throat.

Bella was sitting on our bed, her back to me, like she had been every time I'd stepped into that room since we had moved in. She sheets were stained bright red, glistening with blood that was only starting to dry. I realized I was panting, and made a conscious effort to hold my breath and block the smell.

"Bella what have you done?" My voice was shaking. My whole body was shaking.

She turned to meet my eyes, her gaze expressionless. There was blood on her mouth, blood in her hair. I took a few steps and stopped dead when I caught a glimpse of the body laying on the floor at the other side of the room, glazed-eyes and still, a gaping wound down the throat where Bella had bitten the flesh out.

"There's nothing left. Unless you want to lick the sheets," she shrugged. "I'm sorry. I meant to save her for you." Her golden eyes were indifferent, listless. "She did taste delicious. It's such a waste," Bella whispered, and even from where I stood I could smell Anna on her breath.

I crossed the room and knelt down to shut the blank eyes closed.

--

That night, we all ran farther into the forest than we ever had before, where the thick roots and low branches discouraged even the most enthusiastic of hunters.

Alice sat beside Bella, her arm wrapped around her shoulder, while Emmett and I dug the grave. None of us would look any of the others in the eye.

When we were done, I stared at the little mound of freshly turned earth and carved it to my memory. I laid some moss at the top and turned away to go home. It could take months for the body to turn up, maybe years. Long enough.

--

"Everything is going to be alright," I said as I gently cleaned Bella's face with a wet cloth, rubbing the blood and dirt off her pale cheek. "We'll start over. Just you and me."

"I killed a human being in cold blood," she said, her voice apathetic and empty. "Nothing is going to be alright."

"It will be. I love you."

"Do you?"

I scrubbed the corner of her ear, erasing the last dried clot, and started washing her hair.

END


End file.
